New video raises awareness of statewide hunger problem

Through an one-hour television special, the Massachusetts Medical Society is hoping to raise awareness of the state's hunger problem.

Jeff Gilbride

Through an one-hour television special, the Massachusetts Medical Society is hoping to raise awareness of the state's hunger problem.

"We want to encourage local businesses and organizations to help in any way they can and encourage people that may be eligible for food stamps to apply for that kind of assistance," said Richard Gulla, media relations manager and executive producer for "Hunger in the Commonwealth."

Gulla said the program was a collaborative effort with U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern, D-3rd, the Waltham-based Massachusetts Medical Society and HCAM-TV, a public access station in Hopkinton.

The state's top health care leaders and elected officials convened a statewide summit in March to discuss ways to fight the problem, Gulla said.

Project Bread, the state's leading anti-hunger agency, reported nearly 500,000 people across the state are experiencing hunger or food insecurity. Project Bread said this term applied to households that can't afford to buy enough food for healthy living.

Recent data also shows a growing number seeking assistance at Salvation Army food pantries soared last year, with cities such as Greenfield experiencing an 86 percent increase, Framingham a 66 percent jump, and Milford a 48 percent spike, according to a press release from Salvation Army.

Beatrice Pawoh, who helps run the Waltham Salvation Army Food Pantry on Myrtle Street, has also seen a rise in assistance requests.

She estimated a 45 percent increase in the pantry in the last six months.

"People come out and they feel ashamed because they used to be the ones that used to drop food off here. Sometimes they will sit there and they will start to cry," she said on Friday. "Whether people want to believe it or not, the recession is bad."

To watch "Hunger in the Commonwealth" online visit: http://hcam.tv/hunger.